Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Work and non-work

It’s been a bit of a crazy week. This is partly because tomorrow is our big national exam day and therefore our exam students, who have spent much of the year not doing a lot of the homework that we set them, have leapt into action, burnt lots of midnight oil and given us big piles of things to mark. And of course it all has to be handed back more or less immediately to give them a chance to benefit from our sage advice.

It’s amazing how many students wait behind at the end of class at this time of year and say things such as, “I’m having trouble writing literature essays. Can you give me a few pointers?”

Exactly what do they think I’ve been doing all year? Telling them a whole lot of nonsense so that I could keep the good stuff, the answer to all their problems, till the very last lesson – when all would be revealed?

But I don’t say this. I sigh and repeat all the usual advice. The real answer, I feel like telling them, is to read a lot and practise writing a lot, well in advance of the exam. Starting when they were about eight. It’s a bit late now.

Anyway. The other thing keeping me busy has been that this is the start of the birthday season chez Life. My mother was 86 last Friday, our son-in-law 28 yesterday and Mr Life attained his 60th birthday today. How can I be married to a 60-year-old? – at my age? Astonishing. There have been various celebrations of these splendid events. We had my mum to dinner on her birthday and then on Saturday we took her to lunch at Crieff Hydro. At the top, there she is in the gardens, with the hotel in the background. Then above, another view of the grounds - it was a lovely sunny day.

Later we went for a walk up the hill behind the Hydro where we scattered my dad's ashes last year. We said hello to him.

Here's Mr Life pointing out something or other to my mum.

Maybe it was this view. The weather had got a bit hazy by then, but it was still lovely.

Then today we had a birthday dinner for Mr Life (and son-in-law) and on Sunday, once our boy has returned from New Zealand, we’ll have the extended family to lunch for further celebrations. Mr Life got a single lens reflex digital camera for his birthday and has been playing happily with it ever since. He’s a man easily pleased with cake and expensive technology. No doubt he will share today’s photos with me in due course. Watch this space. You can’t wait, can you?

Happy Birthday to Mr Life and the rest of the Life clan! And who wouldn't be happy with cake and technology, really? I knew I recognised that building in the first photo but couldn't place it till I read on. I love that part of the world and my husband does too - surprisingly, given he spent a few miserable years at boarding school just up the road!

What gorgeous photos of the countryside. And I can't wait to see Mr Life's photos too. I got cake and a digital SLR camera for my 30th birthday last year and I was a VERY happy girl. And I am addicted to taking photos!

Happy birthday to Mr. Life, your mum, and SIL!My hubby will be 60 on Wednesday. It is a bit hard to believe we're married to men that old, isn't it? But I actually beat him to 60 by 10 months :) He calls me his 'old lady'....and gets a beating for it :)What a lovely place for a birthday celebration. Your photos are beautiful!My hubby says he'll settle for just the cake :) Good!

Age has a nasty way of creeping up on us all. We attended my Uncle's 100th birthday party on Sunday and he was cross because he couldn't hear most of what was said to him! Apart from that,he's fine...at that age!!! Ken is now on the wrong side of 65 and not looking forward to 70 AT ALL. I'm still happy being 60, considering my Mum died at 57...Your photos are beautiful as always; you must have a stack of photo albums at home if all your photos over the years have been as good as the ones you post here!And your son is home already?? Gee, as Linds said, that went by very fast indeed!

You're so darn funny Isabelle! This line cracked me up: "He’s a man easily pleased with cake and expensive technology." Doesn't that just apply to all our men? As always thanks for the beautiful pics of Scotland!

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About Me

I'm a retired English teacher and live with my husband in Edinburgh. I enjoy reading, gardening, singing and walking; and making fairly simple quilts. Our children are all married. Daughter 1 lives in Edinburgh and is the mother of the much-loved Grandson and Granddaughter-the-Elder. Daughter 2 lives in London, 350 miles to the south and is the mother of sweet baby Granddaughter-the-Youngest. Son lives 65 miles to the north and is the father of dear toddler Granddaughter-the-Younger. I wish they all lived closer together.
I'm very conscious that time is passing and would prefer not to fritter my time away. But I sometimes do.